Tuesday, November 28, 2006
Marketers target churches
Perhaps it is not a new thing, but as an increasing sign of how the Christian church is selling itself out to its surrounding culture, big business is targeting churches (especially large ones) because they see them as captive, homogenous audiences. And, it appears the leaders of these churches and their followers are biting.
The well-regarded Wharton Business School has published an excellent article, "Product Placement in the Pews? Microtargeting Meets Megachurches", which examines this trend. This is a worthy read that anyone concerned about the role of the church in the world should carefully examine. Even renowned business author Jim Collins is quoted in the article confronting churches with the question: "Do they have the discipline to say 'no' to any resources that will drive them away from their fundamental mission?"
Obviously fewer do.
Technorati Tags: church, marketing, endreligion
The well-regarded Wharton Business School has published an excellent article, "Product Placement in the Pews? Microtargeting Meets Megachurches", which examines this trend. This is a worthy read that anyone concerned about the role of the church in the world should carefully examine. Even renowned business author Jim Collins is quoted in the article confronting churches with the question: "Do they have the discipline to say 'no' to any resources that will drive them away from their fundamental mission?"
Obviously fewer do.
Technorati Tags: church, marketing, endreligion
Monday, November 20, 2006
The anti-religious stance of early Christians
A noteworthy quote from N.T. Wright, a leading (and refreshing) New Testament scholar:
"...though in many ways early Christianity appears to the post-Enlightenment world as a 'religion', within first-century categories it certainly did not. The early Christians were dubbed 'atheists'. They offered no animal sacrifices. What they did in their communal meetings bore some resemblances to non-Christian religious practices, but it was the differences that stuck out. The main thing that would have struck observers of early Christianity was not its 'religious' side, nor indeed its early doctrinal formulations, but its total way of life."
- N.T. Wright in The New Testament and the People of God, page 120.
Technorati Tags: religion, early+church, N.T.+Wright, endreligion
"...though in many ways early Christianity appears to the post-Enlightenment world as a 'religion', within first-century categories it certainly did not. The early Christians were dubbed 'atheists'. They offered no animal sacrifices. What they did in their communal meetings bore some resemblances to non-Christian religious practices, but it was the differences that stuck out. The main thing that would have struck observers of early Christianity was not its 'religious' side, nor indeed its early doctrinal formulations, but its total way of life."
- N.T. Wright in The New Testament and the People of God, page 120.
Technorati Tags: religion, early+church, N.T.+Wright, endreligion
Thursday, November 09, 2006
I'm a Christ-follower
I've been fairly quiet on this blog lately due to moving, etc. Life has been chaotic, but I am looking forward to continuing the discussion again. There still is much to be discussed regarding Jesus and the End of Religion. What a better way to get the ball rolling than the following four video clips on YouTube (parodying the PC vs. Mac ads) entitled "I'm a Christ Follower":
